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Recent Events Summary:

Xile is behind you, and you're glad to be rid of it - Aeolus's ancient kingdom was nothing but bad luck and ill-fated decisions. The Staff of Winds is still out in the world somewhere, stolen by the mysterious Melody.

However, in completing the Moonsong and defeating Fleet, you aquired two more shards - Hammer, and Breeze. There should only be two more; you're aware that one of them is waiting in the Frozen Hand, Erebus's old stomping grounds.

After tying up lose ends with Vonnegut, you decided to fly to Archon both to inform Fang about the fate of the staff, and to try and barter for his support. Archon's power and resources will be critical to cementing the union being formed by Blackwater and Auriel that is bringing together Felnoir and the fractured denizens of the Great Forest to face a common enemy - Kan-Abar's demon lords. With those nations united, she then plans to approach Arland and use Flint's influence to create a grand alliance to turn and face Kelvere.

You learned from the archmage that Melody was an old personal acquaintance; but where she, or the staff are now, he has no idea. Thanks to Abigail's willingness to rejoin him, Fang has agreed to support the alliance. Convincing the whole of Archon to join with you, however, will be another matter altogether.

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>>27613145
Hello, SM.

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>>27613156

So I opened up the QTG before I hit the hay and read through it the following morning.

I laughed to hard my diaphragm ached.

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Ability Tree

GREEN abilities have been unlocked and learned.

BLUE abilties are unlocked, but are not yet purchased.

RED abilities are revealed, but locked due to prerequisites.

UNDERLINED abilities are active-use, as opposed to passive. Not all active abilities require mana.

All Revealed Ability Descriptions:

http://pastebin.com/4Y6TAxse

Books the Main Character has read:

http://pastebin.com/dAXR00gP

Character Sheet including learned abilities and other important information:

http://pastebin.com/jrGsV989

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>>27613219

*so

----
----

Current Statistics:

HP: 75/81
Mana: 58/58 (currently 29/29)
>shadow magic power halved
EXP: 4

Shards of Erebus:
(Isolation) - Strong - Unusable
(Silence) - Normal - Unusable
{Temerity} - Normal - Unusable

New Shards:
(Breeze) - Strong
(Hammer) - Strong
(Ardor) - Strong
{Humanity} - Resonant

--Summoned--

Wisp - 1 mana to order

--Automatons--

Earthen Construct (currently in Haven)

--Equipment--

Utility belt with purse

--Inventory--

Sun-Moon Key
Lightning Key

--Teleport Anchor--

Haven - Inner Fortress

--Current Location--

Archon

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>>27613145
hello again SM

New pastebin for SQ 71-80: http://pastebin.com/7BgP1tNQ

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>Last time...

You push forward with your attempt to reach isolation, but Temerity resists your power.

<I think not.>

>mana: 29/29
>the base power of all Shadow magic is now halved

<There can be no more compromise with corruption,> Temerity says. <When you require guidance to the remaining shards, call upon me. Otherwise, I have nothing for you, Judgement.>

You snap back to the present. The sun is an hour in the sky outside the window of Yi Fang's study.

Sounds on the stairs draw your attention. You tense - but it's just Abigail. She's wearing an orange dress. Her hair is done up in a tight bun, held with a single pin, in the typical Archonian fashion.

She stops when she sees you. You look at each other, then away, then back, then away again. You're not quite sure what to say.

"...morning," Abigail says.

<Good morning.>

"I...uh...slept very well."

<Me too. Well, I didn't sleep, exactly.>

"Right. You don't sleep."

<Right.>

"Must get boring."

<Sometimes.>

She rubs the back of her neck. "I guess...we should wait for..." She trails off. You turn in the direction she's looking. Yi Fang's sun-like spirit is rapidly approaching the tower.

<I think we'll have more of a schedule for today,> you say.

"Yeah."

---------
---------

The Chamber of the Councilors is a wide, arched hall in the center of the fortress. Orange and white lights, powered by mana channeled from the pools, keep the space brightly lit. Stone pillars half-embedded in the marble walls support the lofty ceiling.

You stand in the back of the chamber, trying to keep your line of sight with the dais at the other end. You're hardly alone - the place is filled to the brim with spectators. You didn't realize Archon's administrative meetings were so public, but as one shadow mage among many, you blend in easily.

The ten councilors all were Archon orange - but subtle trimmings and patterns designate them as members of whatever family or faction from which they hail. These patterns are repeated in the crowd, which, despite the jostle, is somewhat separated by allegiance; the divides between the groups are small, but clear. The councilors rule together, but they are certainly rivals.

Center stage are Fang and Abigail. The lines have been drawn up there, as well. Fang has his allies - three councilors - stand apart from the rest. The stocky Tae Wong you know as fair-minded and straightforward; Abigail sparred against his son, back when Fang was looking for his vote. And then another you're more unfamiliar with, Ming To, an elderly woman with sharp lines to her features. Finally, and perhaps most surprisingly, there is Zhang Cheung. You remember him poignantly - the lich father-in-law of the mage you killed and impersonated when you took on the Cheung family to stop the attempts on Abigail's life. Perhaps, with the death of their old, miserly leader, they've turned over a new leaf.

Meanwhile, six other councilors have formed up against them, and that's a majority vote - enough to not only stop Abigail's ascension to Councilor-hood, but to stop Archon from joining any new alliance, as well.

>con't

The arguments have been flung for a good half-hour, now. A few of the mages on the opposing side have shown signs of wavering, but they're led by a strong councilor that has dug in his heels - Yong Xu. With the Cheung family still in recovery, the Xus have apparently taken up the role as Fang's main competitor.

Abigail has been silent, but she stands proud and stolid at her uncle's shoulder. You can see a resemblance there; there's a hardness to their eyes they share, a way their faces are drawn from their cheeks down to their chins. She looks your way. You offer her a smile. For a moment, the side of her lip curls up, but she pushes it down and faces the podium.

"Is the Archonium harsh?" It is Yong Xu's turn to speak at the stand, and he's been working the crowd for five minutes straight. "Yes. Many of us know exactly how harsh it is. How many have we lost? Brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, lost forever to that chaotic otherness?" He pounds his fist into the podium. "But the hardest and strongest of us survived - thrived - and it is because of that fact that we have stood as long as we have against the empire. We have no Elemental Lords; we don't have the fallbacks of our ancestors, nor the technology, rusty though it may be, still lingering in the Ringed City. We have only ourselves, and our determination." He jabs a finger at Abigail. "She destroyed that hope. In a moment of passion, her anger bested sound judgement, and she destroyed the tool with which we've fought for hundreds of years. And who was there, and by his own admission, failed to stop her?! The archmage himself!"

Yong Xu falls quiet for a moment. The crowd whispers amongst itself. He sweeps his gaze over them, taking them in one by one. "There isn't a family that hasn't sacrificed to that device of pain and torture in the name of our survival in the face of insatiable imperial bigotry. And by their actions, the Fangs have spit on the memory of that sacrifice." Xu offers them a disdainful smirk. "How many times have we been led along by the archmage's arrogance? How many times have we let ourselves be pulled by the nose? How much have we lost because of it?" Xu turns to Fang and addresses him directly. "You are strong. That is why you lead. But you are a man all the same, not a dictator, and you have run roughshod over your responsibility to the council, and to the people of this country - all so that you can indulge the childish whims of your niece. And now you propose she be granted a seat on the council? Do you take us for fools?!"

The gathering erupts in chaos. Satisfied, Yong Xu steps back from the podium, watching what he's wrought. From a few mouths, you can hear calls for punishment and retribution. Fang's eyes are like knives, but Xu wears the protective armor of popular opinion. The archmage had a good say earlier, but at the moment, the momentum is against Abigail.

Suddenly, Xu steps back to the podium. "I have a thought!" he says above the crowd. You sense a bit of magic, there - the stand amplified his voice to be heard above the background. "I say we let the girl have her own words!"

At that, the shouts grow still louder; many sound favorable to the idea. Fang gestures sharply across his chest. "A candidate for the council does not speak at their own hearing. You know that, Xu."

"And now we see the hypocrisy in full force!" Xu shouts to the crowd. "Precedent and tradition might as well be dead - but when it benefits the great Fang family!" A mix of half-laughter, half-jeering answers him. Xu presses his advantage. "Why not let her convince us that she was in the right? Unless you believe you hand-picked and groomed mage isn't as wonderful as you make her out to be?"

You didn't think Fang could look angrier, but you were wrong. You wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that expression. Xu, however, smiles back, confident that he's pinned Fang into a corner - and you really think he has. If Fang had a trump card, you feel as though he'd have pulled it by now.

While the crowd's chatter fills the chamber, you watch Abigail lean toward Fang. She whispers something in his ear. Fang shakes his head, says something back. She puts a hand on his shoulder and leans closer, apparently not satisfied with that response.

Fang doesn't move for a long moment. You ignore the crowd, just watching him. Eventually, he clenches his jaw, then nods.

Abigail steps up to the podium.

The response to her willingness to speak is immediate. The parts of the crowd defending her cheer; the slightly larger half against her boos, jeers, even hisses. She places rests her arms on the top of the podium and waits for things to settle down. Her face is steady, but you can see her nerves in the way her good hand clenches the wooden stand.

If you're going to do something, now would probably be the time.

>try to coordinate something with Abigail. Maybe you can help sway the crowd
>see what Fang is thinking
>let Abigail speak without interference; she needs to stand on her own
>some other strategy

>>27613483
>Let Abigail speak without interference
Keep an eye on potential offensive trickery.

>>27613483
>let Abigail speak without interference; she needs to stand on her own

Send some words of reassurance to calm her nerves but let her do this herself. I don't see what we could really do anyway aside from keep a lookout for sabotage.

>>27613483
>see what Fang is thinking
I suspect it's planning the murder of Xu. Or at the very least, pure mad.
>let Abigail speak without interference; she needs to stand on her own

>>27613483
>>see what Fang is thinking
>>let Abigail speak without interference; she needs to stand on her own

We can do both, can we not?
I'd like to let Abigail do it alone, if at all possible. But considering how important this is, if (and only if) it looks like she guaranteed to lose, we should be ready for a last-minute helping hand.

>>27613483
co-ordinate with abigail. archon needs to stand on its own, growing to meet the current world. we need to become a powerful force in the current world, able to meet the strength of the Ring City and Black Lady as equals. let Archon be known as a center for equality and not a vampiric dictatorship or apartheid which opresses people on the status of their birth. the current unrest is the opportunity, the Great forest is uniting, the Duke of Kelvere is defeated. we have outgrown the need for insular holding onto tradition. let us grow as humans, not as duty-driven automatons

(someone edit and improve this, im tired and drunk as balls)

>>27613483
>see what Fang is thinking
>let Abigail speak without interference; she needs to stand on her own

>>27613588
I'm honestly curious. What do you expect us to do to help her with this, assuming nobody attempts to do trickery?

Stand up and be all "That part about not havin' no elemental lords... *cough cough*"

>>27613483

This is Abby's trial. She is here of her own volition. She wanted to prove that she can stand on her own without having to rely upon us. Let us see what she does.

We can offer moral support, but any more will detract from what she is trying to do here.

I suspect that there is some subtle hint in those paragraphs that everyone is missing and the second everything goes to shit, SM's going to point at it and be all "fuck you guys".

Then everyone gets butthurt, archive gets downbotted some more, and the next QTG is Shadow Quest shitstorm 2, electro boogaloo.

>>27613483
Well Fang's reluctance was obviously a front, so that when Abby showed willingness to speak it would make her look good.

>>27613624
That's why I advocate asking Fang what he's thinking.

>>27613624
Yeah, we really can't do much but moral encouragement and keep an eye on Xu.

>>27613555

>see what Fang's thinking
>offering moral support without interfering

writing

>>27613624
While it would certainly be hell amusing, it isn't a smart play at all.

>>27613624
>Stand up and be all "That part about not havin' no elemental lords... *cough cough*"
So, Tony Stark it?

"I am Erebus."

>>27613702
Dynamic entry, "I am Erebus." Followed by eclipse and going titanic.

>>27613747
We're cut off from our shadow magic because fuck Temerity.

Otherwise, it's a pretty funny idea.

>>27613747
Not that it is something that we should do, that would possibly be the most retarded thing we can do at this moment, but it is a funny thought.

>>27613747
Shame Eclipse is locked. And Temerity is jockin' our nuts. And we don't have enough xp to activate Titanic.

>>27613780
>>27613777
>>27613776
We really need to deal with Temerity. This is why I wanted to focus on temerity instead of going after Silence.

>>27613776
Not cut off, just half power. But we don't even have Eclipse anyway, sooooooo

<Fang,> you say, <I'm a bit concerned.>

Fang doesn't look your way, but you hear this thoughts. <Don't even think about trying anything. There are too many mages here.>

<I'm not,> you say, <but we need to be on the same page.>

<The page is that I'm not worried at all,> Fang says. His eyes flick at you briefly, then back to Abigail. <One of two things will happen. Either she'll win them over, or she'll alienate herself for good.>

<That sounds risky.>

<No. It's perfect.> You see his gaze fall to the floor for a moment, then rise again. <Either she's ready, now...or she never has to worry about it again.>

You wonder about those words. Perhaps a part of Fang was happy Abigail had run away. He's experienced the years of rule she's setting herself up for; maybe he was hopeful that she would escape.

But he certainly didn't try to stop her when she came back. So not that hopeful.

You glance at Abigail. <You're ready for this,> you tell her. <Demonstrate the conviction you showed to me. Their hears will follow.>

She keeps her eyes forward, but her words echo softly in your head.<...do you really think so?>

<I know so. Very well.>

<...heh.>

Abigail just waits. The debacle continues for a long time, but slowly, steadily, things quiet down. Hard words turns to grumbling, and then to whispers, and then eventually to silence.

>con't

>>27613796
Yeah, seriously, fuck Temerity.

Waifu or no, Ailment tree or Earth tree, One thing we can all agree on.

Fuck. Temerity.

>>27613844
Indeed. We need to crush that motherfucker and reforge him.

>>27613826
>Either she'll win them over, or she'll alienate herself for good
>Either she's ready, now...or she never has to worry about it again.
Gosh, I''m not sure if he wants her to fail, and thus not have to deal with this shit fest, or if he wants her to fail so that he can show her the Fang Way of getting what you want.

>>27613286
You're such a fucking bitch, Termerity, holy shit.

You're just making it LESS LIKELY for future co-operation.

>>27613857
Palace first. I want to actually see what this Erebus plan is actually about before picking a course of action.

>>27613844
>>27613857
It's just his nature. His pure conviction to cause may become useful yet. We might as well find the other shards first, like we were about to promise Temerity if he stays out of the way for now.

>>27613884
No, because in the Palace we'll need to fight a shard. It might be nice to have shadow magic while we fight a shard.

>>27613904

>shadow magic
>effective against a shard
>WUT

>>27613891
Yes, his pure conviction to a cause that is the exact fucking opposite of our cause will somehow aide us. How could I not see it sooner. Thank you, oh enlightened Anon.

>>27613904
We hardly ever use shadow magic, much less on another shadow elemental. It's just going to be DW and Hammertime like always.

>>27613891
Nope. No negotiations. Fuck Temerity, we'll force him to heel.

>>27613904
Not really, they all resist it like a motherfucker.

What would be nice, though, is not having our mana capped at half. That would be good.

>>27613904
Think of what you said again. We aren't exactly worried about shadow magic, the other shards probably don't give half a shit either.
The previous times we've effectively used used magic against them, it's been spirit and water.

>>27613938
>>27613936
>>27613925
>Oneness
>Tao
>Balance
>Deep Focus
>Nightblaze
>Shadowmeld

>Not useful

Abigail stares at them, and as you watch, there's a change in her; the way she looks at them, the way she holds herself. She looks like an empress.

"I destroyed the Archonium," Abigail says. She glances at Xu. "And I'd do it again, too."

The crowd erupts yet again. Fang winces slightly - and now you're not sure if it's real, or just an act.

Either way, you want to smash the grin off Xu's face. The man steps forward and raises his hands for quiet. Clearly he's confident that Abigail has become her own worst enemy. "Come, be silent," he calls. "Let her speak. Let her speak!"

The gathering quiets. Abigail faces them. "You all speak of sacrifice," she says. "I've spoken with my uncle about the Archonium. None are to enter before they turn sixteen. None have returned who have spent more than four years within. I entered when I was nine. I left when I was as I am now - not below twenty. Eleven years, I was within that place."

You could hear a pin drop in the wide chamber. Most of the mages are obviously shocked. Even Xu looks surprised. Apparently that wasn't common knowledge.

"The councilor is right to be angry, as are all of you," she said. "You have sacrificed to it. Your family - your years. Your innocence was destroyed by that thing. Mine was, at least.

"But you talk about that -thing- as if it's done you some sort of favor," she says. "And look at yourselves. Even now, you're cloistered into your little groups, labeled by your houses, divided by the same families for whom you give up your entire lives. You pretend to the outside world that you're solid block of granite, but you're a weak slab of marble about to crack into a hundred pieces.

"Archon always fights!" Abigail shouts. "And what has it done for you?! You've fought for centuries, and at best you've come out on even terms. At worst, you've lost. And Archon shrinks in size and influence with every passing year.

>con't

>>27613958

I meant offensive shadow magic, not including Nightblaze.

And fuck, Temerity fucked with Deep Focus? Fuck him.

>>27613891
Every shard we find makes Temerity more powerful, because they're Shards of Order by default - and those are his domain.
We need to wrestle away the other shards, or better yet decisively put him in his place, sooner rather than later.

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"Do you know what my uncle said to me about his country?" she says after a moment.

"Abigail," Fang says sharply.

Abigail turns on him with a look you've never seen on her face before. "I am speaking, now, Archmage."

Fang opens his mouth. His throat twitches slightly. But he swallows his words, drops his hand, and steps back.

The crowd is riveted on Abigail, now. Even the councilors set against her seem amazed, or frightened, that she turned back Yi Fang with just a few words.

"He told me Archon is dying," Abigail said. "Not all at once. Not in a blaze of glory. But the slow, rotting political death of a country of poor reputation and a thousand lost skirmishes, a death of isolation and paranoia. We're unable to scrabble for purchase on the outside, and split along bickering families on the inside.

"And this, I am told, is a coincidence?" Abigail says. "I think not. The Archonium wasn't saving you. It was killing you, slowly, because it robbed you of what Archon so desperately lacks - humanity.

"I am that humanity," she says. She pounds a fist on the podium. "I told my uncle I'd never be a councilor. When I left the Archonium, I wanted nothing more to do with him, or this place. I was angry. I was scared. I hated anything that had to do with that nightmare I'd been trapped in for what felt like my entire life.

"I wonder if any of the men and women on this stage have ever admitted that they were afraid of anything," she says. "No. We're all to busy saving face, too busy posturing and positioning to give a damn about the future. Wars have worn us down. Infighting has weakened our stability. It's because we're a nation of desperate survivors born out of that cursed archway." Abigail casts her gaze across the crowd, taking in the frozen faces. "And here I stand, a hypocrite of my own conviction, asking you for the chance to be one of your leaders. I can tell you with complete honesty that I'm not here for myself. I'm here for you."

>con't

>>27613993
Holy shit, Archon is basically Byzantium-China.

>>27613993
archon confirmed #REKT

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Abigail lets them stew on those words for a time. The moment drags on. She takes a breath, and then leans over the podium once more. "You have two choices. Banish me if you would - I will leave you to your fate. The fate of doing the same thing again, and again, and expecting different results whilst you degrade yourselves into a husk - and then that husk will be purged by the angels."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGsAtVVO5B8

"But there is another path," Abigail says. "A path for a new Archon. Not one that lashes out at everything around it as an enemy - but one that embraces new friendships. Not one that fears the unknown, and hesitates out of paranoia, but that seeks new opportunities and acts as a leader of peace.

"You see, I think Archon has made a great mistake. That error has been simple - we have accepted an antagonistic position. We are an element undermining the majority in a search for advantage, but all this has done is isolate and damn us. Rather, we need to beat the empire at its own game - and the time has never been more right. The Ring City is off balance, recovering from the events of the past months. Meanwhile, the demon army of Kan-Abar tightens its stranglehold on Kelvere. Within that instability is a crack of need we can fill.

"Your immediate reaction might be to use the opportunity undermine the empire - but that's just more of the same. Why do that, when we can take their place? Why do that, when we can be the ones building an alliance, bringing together old foes and new friends under one banner? Archon, not the empire, can become the cornerstone supporting the world's balance of power. In taking that role, we'll do far more damage than trying to scrape back a little extra territory while they're distracted."

>con't

>>27613971
>>27613993
>>27614028
If you're so good at politics, Abby-sabby, why do you suck so much when you actually try to cast

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The silence has turned to a fascinating mumbling. She's winning them over.

"And where, exactly," Xu says, stepping forward, "are these ideas coming from? Yes, certainly, it all just sounds lovely - but friends and allies don't just spring from the ground spontaneously."

"I'm glad you asked that question," Abigail says, smiling. "I've been in contact with a certain rebel angel - the 5th Highest, Auriel Lightchosen." Xu blinks in surprise, at a loss for words. Fang's hard look begins to reverse into a smile. "Unlike some councilors," Abigail continues, "I don't just make big talk. I actually get things done."

"The typical Fang arrogance," Xu counters. "Speaking as if you already are a councilor."

>con't

>>27614075
The banshee was the part that did summons more gooder

>>27614075
Because /tg/ dice.

>>27614085
>Xu status: Told like a motherfucker

>>27614075
Dumped everything into Diplomacy and Charisma, incurring negative Luck and Wisdom penalties

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"But I will be," Abigail says. "Because I don't just have the Highest in my corner. I have the elves, humans, and werewolves of the Great Forest - werewolves that were once soldiers of Archon, I might add, driven away by our abuses. I have the ear of Felnoir, and I'm in contact with the Duke of Kelvere.

"Of course," Abigail adds smugly, "I wouldn't expect you to be convinced by just -that-." Judging by the faces in the room, you think they are convinced at just that. No one moves to interrupt as she continues. "The fourth son of the Lord of Arland, Sir Donovan Flint, the demonslayer, is my close and personal friend. We have not only new allies, but a direct line to our old territory - and by coming to save the day, we edge in as a better friend than ineffectual angels."

Fang's evil grin reaches from ear to ear. Xu's dissatisfaction grows visibly. Abigail raises her hand. "So, you can side with the honorable Councilor Xu, and continue to do things as you've always done them -the tried and failed way. You can continue to posture as a half-friend, but known enemy of the empire, giving the angels an excuse to tighten their grip on their allies. You can continue to sacrifice for nothing more than withered orchards and a territory that is continually smaller the next year than it was the last.

"Or," she says, "You can have me."

---------
---------

The vote is taken five minutes later. It is 8-2, in favor of Abigial. She is inducted as the tenth councilor of Archon on the spot.

---------
---------

What is your next immediate goal?

>find the queen of the elves
>locate City 002
>meditate on Temerity; deal with the remaining shards of Erebus
>some other strategy

>>27614028

I guess Abigail really isn't that little girl anymore.

:(

>>27614118

>meditate on Temerity

We need to lock his shit down or at least prevent him from further dickery.

>>27614118
>meditate on Temerity; deal with the remaining shards of Erebus
>>27614125
Fag.

>>27614118
>meditate on Temerity; deal with the remaining shards of Erebus
How can we deal with the world when we're facing a rebellion from within?

>>27614118
Abigail is best girl.

Now then:

>find the queen of the elves
>meditate on Temerity; deal with the remaining shards of Erebus

Both of these. Put this Erebus shit to rest and get ourselves in order for the coming fights.

>>27614118
>meditate on Temerity; deal with the remaining shards of Erebus

>>27614118
>meditate on Temerity; deal with the remaining shards of Erebus

Halved mana is probably gonna kill us if we try for any of those other options. If nothing else, we need to get him to fall the hell back in line.

>>27614118

>Find Queen of Elves

Can we directly teleport to that Shadow mana pool or is that cheating, SM?

Additionally, we're going to have to deal with Temerity sooner rather than later, but I would prefer to have some more concrete information regarding what the Queen knows about us.

We're going to have a difficult time trying to our temerity Temerity - we need to have a metaphysical solution to his Order vs. Chaos worldview. In a weird way, Shadow needs to unify his ideology into a whole directive.

In a weird way, I think SM has internalized into Shadow our constant bickering in threads. To beat Temerity, we need to defeat ourselves, /tg/.

>>27614204
Ooh yeah, we woke up in a shadow mana pool, didn't we? Huh.

>>27614118
Aw yeah.

>find the queen of the elves
>deal with the remaining shards of Erebus
Combine these two: she knows a LOT about things, judging by how she was able to do most of the exposition for us in the Archonium, and it would be useful if we could learn what she did in order to override Erebus' programming, and attempt to use that knowledge in undermining Temerity.

>>27614118
>>meditate on Temerity; deal with the remaining shards of Erebus

How much time would be required for this? I'd like to deal with him promptly, or at least pull Silence and Isolation away from him. But I don't feel a pressing need to go find Wrath and company.

Pretty much I'd like to deal with (or attempt to deal with) Temerity and the shards we have but cannot access as a short-term goal, and then move on to elf Queen or Flint as our next long-term goal (barring something I like better suggested by other anons).

>>27614118
<Termerity I want you to know you're a big bitch and by removing your support you've basically guaranteed that I'm going to reforge every shard from now on, just to spite you.>

>>27614204
That Shadow mana pool is in the Frozen Hand not the elflands.

>>27614204

Known Mana Pools:

Jacob's Field - entrance to Hecate's tomb - Spirit
Palthair Mines - Magnock's Lair - Spirit
Archon - Spirit District - Spirit
Archon - Shadow District - Shadow
Archon - Earth
Archon - Water
Haven - Shadow
???? - ???? - Shadow

>>27614118
>Dat pic
>2hands
>MIRACLES

As for what to do,
>meditate on Temerity; deal with the remaining shards of Erebus

Yeah, each time we act Temerity tightens our noose. We need to deal with him now, before it turns into another Xella situation and he just fucks us over in the middle of combat.

>>27614237

>not teleporting to ????? - ?????

Are we not men?

>>27614296
We have responsibilities, we are not running a one-man show any longer.

I keep thinking we might be able to convince isolation to be reforged. He only joined with us because we showed him our humanity and he's been a bro ever since.

>>27614296

I thought we had to have been to the pool before we can teleport there...

>>27614118
No speak with Abigail and wish her the best of luck before we head out?

>>27614325
That's where we woke up. We just don't know where it is exactly.

>>27614336
Pretty sure that's a given.

>>27614322
I don't think it'll work for Silence, though.

We might be able to get him to break Temerity's grip based on his whole "Fuck you guys, I want to be freeeeeeeeee!" shtick. Being captive under Temerity must suck even worse than being captive under us.

>>27614336

That's happening anyway.

So, say we meditate on Temerity. Do you want it to happen in any particular location?

Do you want to check back in with Haven before meditating?

Note: you can in fact teleport to the ???? mana pool.

>>27614364

Check back with Haven. Then start meditating on Temerity.

Fuck, why did we try to force past him? Now we can't even extend the carrot of cooperation to destroy the source of chaos.

>>27614364
Since you mentioned it, check in with Haven. Then let's teleport to a Mana pool far from any sort of civilization we can destroy. I have a feeling dealing with Temerity is gonna be a big fight.

>>27614364
Haven check-in: Yes.

When was Flint's remove parasite journey going to happen?

>>27614364
>Do you want to check back in with Haven before meditating?

Sure. But go somewhere else to actually meditate.

>>27614409
Not until Archon can get proper footing in Arland so a couple months.

----------------
----------------

"Reminds me of me, when I was your age," Fang says. He chuckles. "I was uncertain at first, but you did more than pull it out of the fire. You'll have a following after this - I guarentee it."

"So many people gave me their names on the way out of the chamber," Abigial says. "I can barely keep a quarter of them in my head."

"You will remember them all, because you'll be memorizing their names and faces shortly," Fang says. "Be prepared. Today, we study. Tomorrow, we train. You'll regret it. I promise you that." He saunters out of his study. "It's a bit late for second-guessing yourself, so you'll just have to rise to the occasion. But you are my niece, after all." And with that, he leaves the room.

Abigail turns back to you. "I'll be in touch with Maven Lake, I suppose," Abigail says, "and through Mayor Blackwater, Haven."

<You were impressive back there,> you say. <I didn't know you had all that it in you.>

"...me neither." Abigail smiles. "It just sort of came to me."

<I'll have to be careful. You take after your uncle more than I realized.>

She makes a face at you. "Hmph. Not too much, I hope."

<No. Not that much.>

You fall quiet. You look at each other for a moment. She works her good hand over her arm. You glance to the side. She coughs slightly.

"So, um...I guess you'll have to be going."

<Yes.>

"I'll be busy for a while," Abigail says. "I'm...popular, at the moment, but I have to consolidate that into something serious, especially if..."

<...you're going to be the archmage?>

"...well, nothing's set in stone."

<No.>

"There's a lot to do. Training. I mean, I don't even know if I want to."

<Right.>

"...I'll miss you," Abigail says quickly.

>write-in your goodbye

>>27614514
"Back atcha."

>>27614514
<I'll miss you too.>

I kind of feel like I should be writing more than just this but fuck if I know what. Throw in a hug and kiss or something.

>>27614514
Y-you too.

>>27614514
<So... we going to talk about this awkwardness or let it sit about and fester?>

>>27614595
Glorious. Won't we be stealing Flint's line though?

>>27614514
http://youtu.be/WNIPqafd4As?t=53s

<Don't worry Abby. Though we may be apart, the heart will go on.>

>>27614514
Whatever we say, make sure to give her a hug as well.

>>27614611
Maybe not worded like this but yeah, we should probably talk about that.

>>27614514
<Remember that I'll always be with you.>

Technically true, thanks to the servanting.

>>27614611
This, but more in-character wording.

>>27614514

Of course:
<I'll miss you, too.>
>Hug

And then maybe
<If I'm lucky, I shouldn't be gone overlong. I'll make time to stop in Archon regularly, if yo ucan make time to see me.>

And perhaps a kiss goodbye is in order?

>Captcha sore stUmp

>>27614514
sheeeit gurl i can teleport aint gonna be gone long

>>27614514
>>27614660
This, plus telling her that we are going to miss her as well is pretty much the definitive mildly-sappy response, and should probably be what we say.

>>27614714
You have shit taste, lolwut.

>>27614611
Seconding an in-character version of this.

>>27614611
,Abby, about last night... I may not grasp the nuances of human interaction, but I know what that implied. And I meant it.>
#YOLO

>>27614698
We escaped the farmer inside the Archonium and now we're becoming the damn farmer. What the fuck are you guys doing?

>>27614777
That's not a very good analogy.

>>27614611
Is it really awkward between them?

I mean, yeah the posters in the thread were a frothing ball of asshurt, but in character, things seemed pretty smooth.

Don't confuse player mood for in quest mood.

>>27614755
I can't wait to see how the qtg spins this.

>>27614793
>Is it really awkward
Remember this part:
"...morning," Abigail says.

<Good morning.>

"I...uh...slept very well."

<Me too. Well, I didn't sleep, exactly.>

"Right. You don't sleep."

<Right.>

"Must get boring."

<Sometimes.>

She rubs the back of her neck. "I guess...we should wait for..." She trails off. You turn in the direction she's looking. Yi Fang's sun-like spirit is rapidly approaching the tower.

<I think we'll have more of a schedule for today,> you say.

"Yeah."

The fucking definition of awkward.

>>27614777
>"I completely missed the point of the entire Archonium arc!"

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.....
..........
...............
....................

I'll make it work.

Writing.

>>27614827
Yes, you did. It was VERY clear that waifu = death.

>>27614846

And SM is disappointed, yet again. Nice job, guys.

>>27614847
What? No.

>>27614793
I'm sure. Remember, we used to be her hero and she used to be like a daughter to us. This love started out familial and now is weird.

>>27614846
What the fuck did you expect? /tg/ is shit at romance.

The slow rot begins.

>>27614846
Shadow once again confirmed for overtaking his players in Humanity points.

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>>27614846
Thanks SM, knew you'd be a pal.
Sorry we're all pulling you in ten, sometimes contradictory, directions.

>>27614847
Not all romance is waifuing, anon. Believe it or not, people have loving relationships. All the time. And many of them even do it without becoming creepy and obsessive.
Have faith in SM, our lord and savior.

>>27614875

Dunno about you but I still think it's not too late for Shadow to remember the Archonium and pull away from mortal romance.

>>27614846
Were you expecting anything other than sappy melodrama and spaghetti?

We're good when it comes to motivating speeches and talking down to people. That's pretty much it. At all other times, we become an endless maelstrom of pasta from which there is no escape or reprieve.

>>27614899
>Implying the chucklefuck players aren't just as big of a part in whether or not this will be a shitshow
>Implying SM can do anything about them
I have faith that SM is a competent writer. I do not see him as a god, you smut peddling faggot.

>>27614907
An endless maelstrom of pasta
Spraying goopy black shadow-carbonara.

>>27614899
Yeah right, but Shadow is not a person and his relationship with Abby had a completely different tone. It makes no fucking sense to turn this into a romantic relationship. Shadow does not have those sort of instincts.

>>27614907
You're making me hungry.

>>27614899
>Not all romance is waifuing, anon.
Says the guy who writes smut.

<I'll miss you too.>

Abigail nods. She folds her arms behind her back.

You stand there, trying to think of something else to say. The moment seems a bit empty.

<...I feel like...things are...a little awkward, between us.>

"Ofcourseit'sawkward!!" Abigail shouts. She waves her arms wildly. "You kissed me before, and now I don't know what to say, and I'm not sure if I'm supposed to kiss you now, or you have to kiss me, or that's it, or just hug you, or whatever, Idon'tknowhowthisworkssowhyareyouaskingme!?!"

<Well...I - uh, I - >

Abigail starts pacing in front of you, left, swivel on one foot, right, swivel back, left. "You know, you just kissed me out of nowhere, I didn't really expect that, but it felt really right, but how was I supposed to react? You know, I sort of wanted it, well, no, I did really want it, so I kissed you back, but I don't even know if you liked that because you haven't kissed me since then, and you're right, it has been all awkward and I don't know what to do about it, and I'm sort of unsure if you still felt the same and if you were ok with me staying here, doing this whole councilor thing, I think it's the right thing to do, but there's so much going on I haven't really been able to put thought into how I feel about all this and -

The words continue to pour out of her mouth in a constant, disjointed stream.

For an odd moment, you find it impossible to imagine her as the woman that just gave the speech you witnessed.

>write-in

>>27614903
I've no idea on what is right. Personally I think that we should be together in the head (sort of, shards) before we rush into things like this.

>>27614875
It's supposed to be weird because it is weird.

She basically got trapped in hell for 10 years, with only the thought that someday her surrogate father figure would come and save her - After only knowing said father figure for all of a few days full of violence and bloodshed, during which time she lost her original parents, accidental turned them into a horrifying undead abomination, and kept them in a barn. And after all that, she sort of fell in love with the father figure, who just so happens to be a tenebrous creature of shadow with mysterious origins. And then it was revealed that he was actually a shard of a dead god who was trying to destroy the world. Long story short, shit be fucking crazy.

I'd say she's shockingly well adjusted given the situation.

>>27614951

I completely agree. Our "Humanity" should be empathetic, not sexual. We don't even have fucking anatomy, we're an amorphous blob of Order, and the vision quest we went on for like 20 threads definitely showed up pretending to be human and choosing waifus results in world destruction.

>>27614950
Raining tagliatelle down upon a terrified populace.

>>27614996
Start babbling back.

Let's create a spaghetti feedback loop.

>>27614996
Oh, well that's a pretty easy problem to solve, but I feel like a GIANT FAGGOT for suggesting it.
Kiss her again. God, I'm disgusted with myself. I need to wash.

>>27614996
Well, then. Kiss her again, I guess?

<It's just as confusing for me too. Let's just go at our own pace and not worry too much about the formalities.>

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>>27615052

I didn't expect that response.

It could be fun.

>>27615029
Shard-Sausage crushing homes and people alike

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>>27614996
It's like every time I didn't think I could possibly be filled with more butthurt, it just keeps happening.

>>27614996
Grab her and HUG

Alternatively keep hugging with enough force to not only silence her worries, but crush her organs.

>>27615066
Stop it. No. Bad anon.

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>>27615076
>Filename Related

>>27615052
i like it. surely flint owes us a whole bottle of high-strength ignorance potion, she can have the potion, we can CONSUME the bottle

>>27615052
Seconding. Sounds fun as long as it leads somewhere.

>>27614951
>Shadow does not have those sort of instincts.
From my perspective, the Archonium showed just the opposite of that. He has those instinct, one way or another, even if we've largely chosen to ignore them.
As a character, we've slowly allowed those to leak in ever since we shut them down back in the Archonium. We didn't let it happen in a big tide of GiveHerTheAppendageNowAndToHellWithEverythingElse, which would be waifuing and I would totally agree with getting as far away from as possible. But we have been taking and examining that relationship, and the thread's vote last night to kiss her on the lips (which I did vote against, but eh whatever) was a pretty decisive move towards romance.
The character has changed. But he's taking it slow, and working through the idea of a relationship at a reasonable rate. This is legitimate character development, and it's not happening in a way which should set off your waifu sensors.

>>27614996

<Abigail, I think I made a mistake.>

<I want to be human, but I am slowly beginning to realize that no matter what I want, I cannot change everything. I can choose to save lives, and do the right thing, and stop terrible injustices like slavery and murder...>

<But I can also choose to put you into danger.>

<I...have... chosen to put you into danger. And I know what you're thinking, that your hand is gone now. And I can fix that. We can fix it together. But there's another kind of danger that I mean. When I kissed you, I put you in that danger. I am not a man, Abigail. I want to be a man, but that's not what I am. I am an Elemental Lord, and although I can look and feel like a man, I can also do things that men cannot do. Things like draw terrible dangers from the Nether...old friendships that have soured, and old enemies who would kill you because of what I used to be.>

<Abigail, I am not a man, and that's what you deserve. You deserve a mage, an equal, someone to grow old with. I am none of those things to you.>

<I am beginning to realize that what I have done with you is wrong, but it can be righted in time. Will you help me, Abigail? Could you forgive me?>

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>"Don't worry guyz it's real relatinshipping not waifu trust SM!"
>2 threads completely consumed with hahalarious relationship awkwardness and pandering

>>27615053
You are a giant faggot and should be ashamed of yourself. You are the cancer that is killing Shadow Quest.

>>27614996
"I don't know either I just did it because the moment felt right I don't really have a good grasp of human things like intimacy and relationships and you know this about me so I figured when you returned the gesture it was okay and that was a good thing to do but now things are awkward and I don't know what to say and I've really been making stuff up as I go along with this romance thing and one minute I think I'm doing okay but then I don't even know and important things are happening so I thought it would be a good time to do that when we had a moment of piece between all these revelations and machinations but then this whole thing and -

I don't know how this works either."

Maximum pasta

>>27615137
Derped and posted without a name, sorry.

Lets just shake her hand and leave.

>>27615052

Do it
>>27615161

>Kiss her again, I guess?
>I guess

>Grab her and HUG
>HUG

I have to be so careful with almost everything else, but I could sneak up behind you and beat you all to death with romance and you still wouldn't get it.

Going with this, because if this is happening it might as well be with a side of pasta:
>>27615052

>>27615052
>>27615067
Let's go.

<I suddenly feel like I need to apologize to Flint for harassing him so often so long ago. Emotions are complicated.>

>>27615142
Gogogo this. Kill the waifu at its source

>>27615142
Look. They both love each other and that's been obvious for a long time and even more obvious with this. Stop trying to force a reversal and deal with it.

>>27615067
I just feel like it's a really in-character thing to do.

>>27615142
It's too late, anon.

Come join the dark side.

>>27615197
>>27615199
>>27615232

I will always do the right thing and try to save this quest

>>27615232
We could have prevented this.

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>>27615273
>>27615267

Let it flow.

>>27615187
I'm sorry I can't into romance and relationships

;_;

>>27615052

it's our only hope.

Activate It

>>27615267
We must fight back. We can't let the waifu faggotry ruin this quest.

>>27615300
It's okay anon, you're just the majority, and that's alright.

>>27615187
/tg/ is full of awkward neckbeards.

We try, but we aren't very good at it. We like the *idea* of romance, but we're terrible at the execution. It's the very definition of hopeless romantic, really.

We should've just let the dragon eat the elf lady, and then have ridden off to be a dark overlord.

>>27615187
You seriously might want to consider taking the reigns on this particularly aspect of the quest yourself from now on now that it's happened, honestly. Probably just going to get sub-par answers and shitstorms whenever /tg/ gets behind the wheel so just let it fade into the un-interactive part of the narrative.

>>27615340
I'm starting to think this would be much, much better.

>>27615340
But Joey wouldn't have happened if that was the case.

>>27615324
How do I fix it

>>27615340

Rather than watch Shadow bumble around for seventy threads and eventually fuck the nine year old he met 10 minutes into his existence?

Unquestionably, yes.

I'd say letting Abigail age was a huge mistake, SM. You should have fractured her mind, giving her adult mental functions in a nine-year old body.

>>27615395
Go out. Get a date. Fuck up a lot. Figure out why. Rinse and Repeat.

>>27615395
Well. That's not easy.
You need to

STREAK OF LIGHTNING
CRACK OF THUNDER

Go outside and talk to other people sincerely!

>>27615400
I

I don't see how that would have been any better. We'd still have a bunch of asshats screaming about waifuing.

>>27615336
The ones who don't know shit about relationships should be conscious of it and shut the fuck up instead of projecting themselves on Shadow and trying to get a waifu.

>>27615400
Dude, I can guarantee you that would have been even worse.

I come here because I don't want to deal with real shit.

Fuck. Why the fuck would I want to roleplay relationship drama? That shit aint fun, it ain't entertaining, and it's doing nothing but drag down the quality of this quest overall.

SM a fool.

>>27615187
SM, I want you to know that you have done a thing.

I'm running a Pathfinder game on Tuesday, and asked my players to present character sheets this weekend so I'd know what I'm dealing with.
One of my players handed me a human Summoner named Abby, with her Eidolon (if you're not familiar, the Summoner gets a sort of persistent summon/familiar type thing) named Shadow.
Another player has given me a human Fighter named Sir Flint. His girlfriend gave me a Crusader Cleric named Auriel.
My forth is running an Inquisitor named Illa.

You have done this to me, and I am unsure how I am going to deal with it.

<Well, look, I don't know how this works either, I just did it, ok!>

"If you don't know how it works, why did you do that?!"

<It felt like the right thing to do in the moment!>

"Ok, maybe it was, but now what am I supposed to think?!"

<I don't really have a good grasp of this sort of thing, intimacy, relationships, I mean, I'm Erebus. I'm Erebus! I don't think I'm even supposed to interact with people! I figured that when I kissed you, and you kissed me back, it was ok, but now things seem awkward and I don't know how to deal with it. I spend half my time thinking about how I'm supposed to make all the things that are going on better, and the other half how I'm going to take care of all the people I care about!>

"Well that makes two of us! I don't know about you, but I expected more than just use standing here and saying bye and then just going on our merry ways!"

<I'm an elemental!> you shout. You can't control yourself; it just spills out of you. <You're a human! And for what feels like forever, I've been trying to reconcile the fact that I'm an immortal creature made out of Order - and I don't even know what that means! You know what - I love you, and I don't even know what loves means, exactly! I don't know how I'm supposed to love a human! I don't know if I should be more a person, or just be myself, or somewhere in between, or if those are all wrong and I should just forget it, but I can't do that, because it would feel like ripping a piece of myself off and chucking it into a hole. I want to be with you, Abigail, and I have no idea what to do or how to go about that. What do you want from me?!>

>con't

>>27615458
I get it now. Anti-waifuers are just people with terrible relationship experiences, right? Well this is 4chan after all and I don't HAVE to bite that bait!

You stare at each other for a few long, silent seconds.

"I want you," Abigail says, "to kiss me goodbye."

<Well. Fine.>

You walk up to Abigail, put your arms around her, and kiss her on the lips. And when she kisses you back this time, it's surprisingly fierce. Her hand wraps strongly around your back.

You part. She breathes hard. "...I don't get a lot of things, Shadow. But I love you."

<...I love you too, Abigail.>

She pushes back from you. "Then...you've got some things to do. So work hard. And then we...won't have to worry about them. And we can be together, as long as we want, whenever we want."

<...I will.>

She turns away from you. "Bye, Shadow." And then she hurries out of the room, covering her eyes with a hand.

You're not really sure how to feel about all that.

------
>flying to Haven
------

I really think

I really think we should all just calm down. The character has been established, the narrative is being spun. Just roll with it, and stop getting so mad about the quest not going exactly the way you wanted it.

>>27615423
>>27615451

Well, maybe. But I think SM was hoping to stop the pedophilia waifuing by making Abigail a young woman, but the questers were only encouraged.

>>27615395
The internet is not substitute for human interaction. If you're in school, it's a bit easier to just strike up a friendship with someone new. If you're not, go to a bar. Alcohol helps.

I ended my first date with a handshake, and on the third I literally asked permission to kiss her.

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>>27615511
>implying I'm getting mad
>implying I'm not doing... something else entirely vuvuvuvuvuhuuhuhuuuuhuu...

>>27615511
>stop getting so mad about the quest not going exactly the way you wanted it
That's not why I'm mad at all. I love it when unexpected shit happens and I embrace cool things happening as a result of actions I didn't endorse.

That's not what this is. This is the worst possible thing, and it's one that's been looming over the quest since day 1.

Waifuing is poison and this quest is chugging the suicide koolaid.

>>27615543
Oh god sorry its fine to try to help anons out but don't blog here! ugh.

>>27615572
Just, just stop. We lost. The quest belongs to them now.

>>27615481
>>27615504
Well, that went better than expected.

>>27615504
You're not really sure how to feel about all that.
>WWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH

>>27615572

Agreed. If people like you and I didn't stand up for the anti-waifu option, these guys would be forcing SM to write Xella/Abigail/Shadow smut by this time in the quest.

>>27615481
>>27615504
That's putting a bit more stuff out there than I'd have liked, but I guess it's out there now.

>>27615579
Spoilered text is irrelevant to the thread, if you read it you must accept that you asked for it. Sorry if that didn't come across or seems unintuitive, though.

You arrive back at Haven with the finishing -WHUMPH- of a sonic boom cutting short.

You fly low above the trees for a time, skating the tops of the leaves until you reach the clearing.

The Cirrus is gone, leaving only an carrier-shaped depression in the forest.

You land in the middle of the clearing. Auriel walks out to meet you. "Shadow, excellent timing. There's - "

<Where's the Cirrus? You're not piloting it?!>

"Huh? Oh, right." Auriel holds her hands up. "Relax. Whatever you did to change the ship changed the Wind dynamo that was already inside it, too. The ship is cloaked. Somehow. We're still experimenting."

<...is that normal?>

"Absolutely not," Auriel says. "Never seen anything like it, and I've seen a lot of things. The entire ship is invisible, and you can't even sense it. Do you know anything about it?"

<...I don't know,> you say. <I just poured myself into it. I'm not sure what the limit of that potential is.>

Auriel nods. "Well, we'll keep pushing the boundaries. Anyway...we've had an unexpected guest, and since you're here, you might as well get thrown in the loop. Come on."

She leads you into the central fortress...

>con't

>>27615681
We are renameing the Cirrus "The Gavel" because it brings down justice

>>27615670
Oh. Well. I guess that's okay then. I've set it to display spoilered text as regular so I would miss that fact, yeah.

>>27615504
>You're not really sure how to feel about all that.
I swear, this is going to be chiseled into our tombstone.

>Mr. Shadow
>??? -
>"Even in death, he still really isn't sure how he should feel about any of this shit."

>>27615681
Hopefully Auriel recognizes that a giant airship-shaped crater in the canopy isn't exactly any more inconspicuous than an undisguised airship in the event of aerial reconnaissance and plans on getting it disguised visually much like Haven itself is.

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>>27615603

Are you seriously, seriously implying that anonymous did not post in favor of romance and waifuing before the Archonium?

Would everyone hailing this development as the coming of the apocalypse please relax? There have been 70 threads in SQ; two of them have been character development with Abigail.

We are now returning to our regularly scheduled program. Chill pill.

>>27615778
I completely agree.

>>27615778
>SM responding to gr8st b8 that all the clinical anons ignored

sm no stahp wat r u doin?!

>>27615778
Somehow you're making this worse with everything you say.

It's confounding. Usually you're so good with this kind of thing, but this is just constant ball dropping.

So.
Best guesses as to who it is?

Vellik is my guess. Finding us via those bandit contacts. We haven't had any vellik in a while.

>>27615841
>this is bait

>>27615841
lets just drop it and move on

>>27615855
makes sense

>>27615855
>Old Lady Melody shows up with the staff and apologizes for the switcharoo
>Hyperion shows up and wants to be friends
>Vonnegut shows up with a new book, which I would totally buy even if it was literally shit bound in cardboard

POSSIBILITIES

>>27615855
Another shard showed up at Temerity's call. Calling it. It's about to zerk the fuck out too now that we're here.

Guys, before we even think about resetting our teleport anchor anywhere else we need to teleport up to xile and make a shadow manapool and loot the fuck outta that place

So I just got here, and had a couple thoughts, which may be very stupid.

When we embraced the fires of Humanity in the archonium, were we "reforged" like how Ardor was in a way? Another thought, since we are a shard, I think 0 HP would be our "Broken" state, and while broken, we could be reforged.

Silly thoughts like this are why I mostly just lurk.

>>27615966
There's probably already manapools there, we just never found them

>>27615966
I'd rather not make a shadow mana pool on Xile. I'm ALL for looting the extra-curricular dungeon, just not with that particular method.

>>27615966

Listen to this man, this is a fucking excellent idea.

>>27615978
>Judgement shard breaks
>Temerity assumes direct control
Fuck

>>27615985
i really dont think that there would be a shadow manapool in Aoelouses domain

>>27615978

sounds legit....

WAIT! THAT MEANS THAT AT LOW TO ZERO HP TERMITY COULD TRY AND PULL A FAST ONE ON US!!!

>>27616004
We don't need a shadow pool to teleport. It can be any element.

>>27615978
Yes anon you are silly.
But, it does make sense. Though I wonder what positive-spin synonym Judgement would turn into if it was reforged via Humanity.

>>27615989
there is no other way besides teleporting, i really wouldnt wanna risk our shiny new airship in that agian

>>27615978
Maybe that's what the elf did to us...

>>27616029
The airship went through it before without a problem after we got it Artifacted.

>>27616015
oh yeah forgot about that, but we still need to atleast touch one up there, it would be a lot of wasted opprotunity

>>27615978

I'd say yes, but only on a kind of introspection level for the Judgment shard.

The Archonium process basically forced us to examine our component Erebus shards - it just so happens that our Judgment so far in the quest coalesced into a new source of power during that time. I'd count that as a reforging. SM specifically stated that our aura of darkness has been altered to reflect our reforged status.

So I was rereading the Tarrun Gakky arc for the pasta.
And then I found an off-hand remark about a character that we never heard from before or since, and we never inquisitioned further upon because we had real shit to deal with.

But maybe, juuuuust maybe, we should ask Auriel if she knows who Veleron Dragon Kin is, a strange name mentioned by the sage.

>>27616053
Yeah but we would much rather teleport+pocket everything than risk our airship and even if it does make it through fine we would have to worry about the natives and the shadow shit and other problems. if its just us we can go up. rip out everything we want and put it in our pocket, then teleport down and repeat

File: 1381121628034.jpg-(348 KB, 800x800, 1272955779882.jpg)

348 KB JPG

She guides you through the bare hallways and into a side room. Most of the interior is just raw, exposed stone; the place isn't exactly lived in. You imagine it's what any castle would look like, really, stripped of the carpets and the tapestries and the braziers.

You meet Cain, Ila, and Flint in another room.

<Where are Hamil and Adavan?>

"Back in Maven Lake," Auriel says. "They're setting up that direct line of communication between here and there. Think of it as a permanent teleport spell, for your voice. I also figured that Adavan would be a good liaison if Fang contacted Blackwater. How did it all go, by the way? I'm surprised Abigail isn't back with you."

<...it went well. Fang's agreed to the alliance. Abigail has...> You remember what she said about keeping her position under wraps for fear of upsetting Sir Flint, and decide to prolong the secret, for now. <She volunteered to stay with her uncle. Smooth things over. And...she wants to learn more control over her powers.>

Auriel nods. "...that's probably for the best. She's young, but she's sharp. Very sharp."

"You'll never guess who arrived, though, Shadow."

<Who? Did we get word from Vellik?>

"We've had word - his encampment is taking the winter well," she says. "But it's an emissary from the orcs."

<The orcs?> You think back. The last you remember, you insulted their leader and broke his prized enchanted sword. Well, ate it, more like. <I didn't see that one coming.>

"Apparently they're having a bit of a problem with Shadow magic," Auriel says, "and they requested our help - us being the local experts in that sort of thing."

<I see. Well...should we bother?>

"Absolutely," Auriel says. "How much do you know about orcs?"

<I know Fang made them during his war with the city, but that's all.>

>con't

>>27616017
Mercy, Benevolence, Waifu, Hope, or something equally sappy.

>>27616102

Let's also do this, good looks anon.

>the faint sound of SM frantically tapping through his notes for Veleron Dragon Kin reincarnation of Aeolus

>>27616136
We already set our anchor to Haven though so we don't have a choice.

"That he did," Auriel said. "Let's hope he's serious in his offer for support. In any case, the orcs, while not incredibly numerous, are fierce warriors. They're stronger, faster, and tougher than normal humans, and they have a very high natural resistance to magic. If we had them on our side...well, it would make a huge difference. They've flourished out here in the forest."

<I see.> You ponder the information a moment. <If they're having enough trouble to come and ask us for help...it must be bad.>

"No kidding," Auriel says. "And this is what really has me worried: Blackwater's sent me some troubling news. Shipments upriver from Abbotsford have have dried up. There's some bad rumors floating around from up north. The orcish forest territory borders Abbotsford to the east; my intuition is telling me that it's the same problem at the heart of this mess."

<Wait,> you say. <Pathair is upriver from Abbotsford.>

Auriel nods grimly. "And if the trade of Adamanium is impeded again...that's going to immediately draw Sandalphon's attention."

<...sounds like we need to deal with this as soon as possible, for more reasons than one.>

"You've got it."

What do you do?

>handle this situation personally
>delegate the situation to Auriel, Ila, and the rest of Haven. You've got your own problems, for the moment
>meditate on Temerity first, then come to a decision on the matter
>some other strategy

>>27616168
>Orcs
>that pic

Perfect selection, SM

>>27616136
The ship is unaffected by wind magic, so it's safe from the powers of the natives.
Don't really know why you're arguing so hard against the tried-and-true method.

>>27616185
no we didnt, it is still up where the cirrus was docked.

teleporting through mana pools doesnt reset our anchor

>>27616201

I try.

>>27616219
Go to the top of the thread and read the character info.

>>27613258

>>27616200

>handle this situation personally

Yes, Temerity is being a little slut, and yes, it's a liability for the short-term.

Sandalphon getting wind of Haven and our party is a long-term issue.

I say we get the orcs on our side, solve the adamantium issue, and then immediately kick Temerity's buttocks savagely before the winter is over and open conflict starts again.

>>27616200
>meditate on Temerity first, then come to a decision on the matter
Have a go at dealing with Temerity, then
>handle this situation personally
Shadow magic problems have a tendency to involve Shard of Erebus, so I think we should be on hand.

>>27616200
>meditate on Temerity first, then come to a decision on the matter
PLAY THE OBJECTIVE FELLAS
IN THIS CASE THE OBJECTIVE IS SELF CONTROL

>>27616200
>handle this situation personally
It's likely a shard.

>>27616204
cause that would involve bringing people up there and people are rather fragile and we dont want to risk shit happening. we can sneak past anything we need to, use our strength to take anything we need to, then just be back in an instant. getting workers into some of those dangerous places is just foolish

>>27616200
>some other strategy
Investigate the Orcs' request personally, then figure out whether we think it can be safely delegated. If it's another shard, we definitely need to handle it ourselves, but it might be possible for others in Haven to handle the situation.

Who am I kidding, we're probably going to be doing this ourselves regardless, but still.

>>27616257
i dont remember even setting this, i think it may be a mistake

>>27616200
>meditate on Temerity first, then come to a decision on the matter
We need to deal with this. How can we deal with shadow magic when our magic is on the fritz?

Vote 1:
>temerity first

Vote 2:
>handle this matter personally

>>27616354
1

>>27616354
1

>>27616290
You're foolish, anon. First either you, or some knob, tried to suggest making a manapool in xile only just to loot the place, then when positive alternatives that involve less XP dropout are suggested you argue against them, and then even though the Anchor isn't in Xile anymore you're still arguing for getting there without the Ship when it's the only safe way.

You cannot have your cake and eat it too, anonymous.

>>27616354
1

>>27616354
1

>>27616354
1

>>27616354
1

>>27616375
I guess bringing the airship up would work but xile is just a dangerous place, we are probably gonna have to have them stay on the airship the entire time. since no one but us can move about underground, and we can carry as much as can fit in our pocket and teleport.

and we probably wouldnt have to create a mana pool, because there is probably a wind one up there

So are we going to ask about Veleron Dragon Kin?

>>27616354
1

>inb4 "Guuuuyyyyysssss I made it suuuuper clear that you were supposed to go there RIGHT NOW!!!!! The orcs wouldn't ask for help unless it's serious guys it was really obvious I gave clues!

>>27616456
Thankfully the tactical knob has not found its way into your gob as much as I thought anon, or it really takes you a damn long time to put two and two together in a logical and obvious fashion.

>>27616017
Insight? (Emphasizing the knowledge required to decide well, rather than simply the authority to decide.)

>>27616478
thats kinda true, for a proud people like the orcs to ask for help it would have to take some serious shit

>>27616478
To be honest, it was made pretty obvious that we need to handle it soon.

>>27616478
My response to you?

Temerity a shit. And... I am god damn sure as hell not risking a shard fallout.

>>27616478
Can't wait for this to happen.

If we get another tornado incident on top of the waifu shit storms, the quest will disappear up its own asshole.

Also, isn't it strange that the place where the problems are coming from are so near to the place where Darkxis was? And Darkxis already had another shard we broke when trying to subsume him?

Could this be that shard now that it's reformed?

>>27616497
i was only pointing out that having the airship up there is kinda wasteful for its time. cause its just gonna be chillin while we load it up with shit. also we need to get that thing some weapons. and we should name it The Gavel

>>27616465

As far as Auriel is concerned, that was just something the crazy old man spouted for no reason. It was nonsensical.

--------
--------

<I think this situation needs to be an immediate priority,> you say. <But...I've got some situations of my own to handle.>

Auriel nods grimly at you. "...that sort of thing, right?"

<That sort of thing.>

"I couldn't agree more with the priority of it," she says. "We'll tell the messenger that our aid is a given, but we need some time to prepare," Auriel says. "Still, we'll have to act in the short term, with or without you. Let me know soon. If not...we'll go on our own."

<Understood.>

You fly out into the deep, uninhabited part of the forest for your meditation - just in case.

Winter has truly set in, now. Most of the trees that lose their leaves are almost completely bare. You settle under a thick pine, sheltering in the shadow. The tops of the trees shift slightly in the breeze, but the forest is oddly quiet.

You sink within yourself. Temerity answers your summons.

<I see I'm finally worth your precious time,> it says. <What do you want from me?>

>write-in

>>27616572
No we named it Nxystyx Abby-Sabbatical Ship #6!

>>27616568
certianly possible, which is why we need to have lla scout it out for shadow shit

>>27616583
Quick. Someone pull that thing from the last thread.

>>27616583
<You're going to stop this nonsense.>

>>27616583
co-operation, or submission. you can cease resisting, while keeping your independence, acting as a seperate entity, to watch the watcher. or i can break you down into your constituent parts, and reforge you with your mortal enemy. id rather not, since you have merely been true to what you have decided is your mission, but you are impeding me, AND THIS SHALL NOT STAND

>>27616583

<I don't want your opinions. I don't want your minor rebellions. I want you to quietly, consistently, work with me to restore our power and more importantly, regain our dominance over Venia.

<THEN, then - we can have our debate about the nature of order and chaos. But I will not general a routing army, and I will not battle you while the Most High rampages wildly through our world.>

>>27616583
<STOP RIGHT THERE CRIMINAL SCUM!>
<YOUR STOLEN SHARDS ARE NOW FORFEIT. EITHER PAY JUDGEMENT THE FINE OR PAY WITH YOUR SOULMANA!>

>>27616583
>>27616627
>What we REALLY need to do is have a sit-down shut-up and listen talk with Temerity.
>Meditate on it, and tell him the ollowing, straight up.

>"As a being of order, you are way too set in your ways to even CONSIDER alternatives. You have a lifetime of war and unending hate for chaos to even consider the possibility that balance is possible."
>"Yet I know better. Judgement controls our actions, because I see the energies of Order manifesting in the souls of humans, the flow of our power polluting the very flow of the raw mana of this world to remake Erebus."
>"You whine and mewl about the corruption being a bad thing, but you have failed to realize it cuts both ways. "
>"If I can be affected, then the reverse is true. Period. You? You're a coward, too afraid to see if its possible, to risk changing your plans or tactics in light of new information. "
>"I agree that the rising problem of magic, chaos getting out of hand, feeing upon itself in a loop isn't a good thing. What I don't agree with are your intractable methods. "
>"You need to adapt to the situation at hand. Not I . YOU. You want to take the war to chaos? Fine.'
>"You can start by helping me come up with a plan to attack, control, possibly destroy its source. Not these piddly mages and creatures, golems and elementals you take offense to. "

>"I will not corrupt you, temerity. You are a link to my past, my true nature. But you are also a reminder that there are better ways than a one track mind. And I will show you its possible, if you stop acting like an attack dog and start acting like a general."
>"You want to strike against chaos? This is your chance to have input."

>>27616687

This.

>>27616687
So, basically, you want to rerun the archonium showdown.

There's no way that's a complete waste of time or anything.

>>27616583
Smash the chucklefuck and throw him to Humanity.
<You could have prevented this.>

>>27616687

>>27616687
A lot of this seems far too sympathetic, but it does point out a few paths of argument for us.

>>27616687
I think we should also mention the disparity between lords on Order and stress the common ft our.

SM for some reason I can kinda feel your dissatisfaction through the internet. Not exactly sure why though...

<There is too much occurring in this world to debate the semantics of Order and Chaos,> you tell it. <This isn't as black and white as you make it out to be. You need to adapt to the situation at hand.>

<Which is a rather roundabout way of dismissing my concerns and telling me to fall back in line,> Temerity says. <The answer, -Shadow-, is no. I was in line - and then you ignored my warnings and happily ushered in further corruption. You have abandoned the directive for useless personal goals.>

<I want to recover the shards and restore our full power,> you say. <The debate can come afterward.>

<...hmm.> Temerity is quite for a moment. <I can indicate to you the position of the remaining shards. If this is truly your primary goal at last, I will assist in its achievement.> Its tone turns dark. <And if you lie once more...then mark this as the last time I hear you out.>

What do you say?

>Yes. Gathering the shards and recovering our power is my primary goal.
>You'll do what I tell you, and if you don't like it, I won't hesitate to force you.
>some other response

>>27616881
STOP GIVING HIM CHANCES BREAK HIM AND BE DONE WITH IT

>>27616881
It's funny how he says "our" power, when i don't really see it that way at all.

But, yes. Let's ping some shards.

>>27616881

>Yes. I gather the shards, and I leave them alone.

>>27616881
>And if you lie once more
How have we lied to this thing? We didn't promise it shit.

>>27616881
Well this is a plot heavy decision so I'll leave you guys the great responsibility of dealing with the consequences of your choice, and wash my hands of this matter ever afterword.
In other words I'm a coward that doesn't know what to choose. ;_;

>>27616881
>some other response

We've negotiated, talked, cajoled, and taken every non-violent route possible with this guy. Why is it that we bend over backwards to keep him going when we've converted other shards (and accidentally destroyed others)? I say we just give him the Humanity treatment and turn Temerity into Conviction or some such.